
Class. 

Book , ' yV 

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CQKRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



FACTS CONCERNING 

CITRUS TREES 
AND THEIR DISEASES 

BY 

DR. H. L. MESSICK 

Pomona, California 




CITRUS TREE CULTURE 




/l<n> 



Fads on Citrus Trees 

AND THEIR DISEASES 



BY 

DR. H. L. MESSICK 

Pomona, Cal. 




PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR BY 

LA VERNE LEADER. 

At LaVerne. Cal.. 
U. S. A, 



n 



COPYRIGHT JULY. 1919 



H. L. MESSICK 

POMONA, CALIFORNIA 



©CI.A5298 07 
SEP -3 (919 



Dr. H. L. Messick's Opening Prayer 
for this book 

All powerful and all merciful Creator, it is my 
pleasure to call upon Thee before commencing to pre- 
pare such enlightenment to the people upon this earth 
as will serve to give them better understanding. 

I ask of Thee that Thou will be willing to give 
me the exact words of truth upon the very important 
subject of which I expect to write. 

I pray Thee that Thou will not allow a single word 
to appear upon this pamphlet which will not give great 
value to my readers. 

I ask Thy blessing to rest upon the readers of this 
pamphlet and give to him or her the true understand- 
ing and meaning of every word written herein. 

I thank Thee for all the past blessings and ask 
Thee that Thou will render to me such strength, wis- 
dom and knowledge as will make this book the greatest 
power and benefactor to the industry for which it is 
especially prepared. 

Thanking Thee for all the blessings that have 
been rendered to me during my past life, asking that 
Thou wilt continue to guard, guide and direct me 
through the coming journey of life and when Thy call 
shall come, I ask that Thou wilt fit a place in Thy 
kingdom. 

These favors I ask in the name of our blessed 
Savior, who gave His life that we might be saved. 



PREFACE 



Dear Reader, I am about to enter upon one of the 
most important subjects that has ever been dealt with 
in the State of California. My purpose is to give to 
the citrus grower a more perfect understanding of the 
nature of his tree. We all realize that life is practi- 
cally the same to all things that have life. No, doubt, 
my readers will be somewhat surprised to read some 
things concerning the facts laid down by nature, as it 
has not, so far in the history of all times, been 
made as clear as it should have been. There is only 
one way in which we can obtain absolute facts con- 
cerning the life of a tree, as books, periodicals and 
science differ so greatly upon their construction of life 
and health concerning trees and plants. It has been 
my pleasure for the past sixty years to study the won- 
derful book called "NATURE" and to not copy from 
any writer. 

We can only understand our soils, our plants, our 
trees and our shrubs by the careful study of our soil 
conditions and our distributions of the many elements 
connected therein. We all have a natural understand- 
ing and as quick as the facts are thrown in front of 
us with this natural understanding we can readily 
take the values therein. 

The writer, when a little boy, had a grandfather 
who so loved the trees that he became a nurseryman 
and grew the first nursery stock grown in western Illi- 
nios. The writer at six years became very fond of this 



8 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

old grandfather who served in the Revolutionary War, 
and who was beyond question a true Christian and 
who believed that his efforts and his results were 
wholly obtained from faithful prayer, together with 
the ambition and determination to conquer and produce 
the best results from all his undertakings. He be- 
came very fond of the writer and instilled into him at 
this early age the same kind of ambition and deter- 
mination, and the writer becoming fascinated with the 
study of trees grew up with this good old man until, he 
at a young age, became so well acquainted with the 
methods of propagation and with the natural under- 
standing of tree life, that it became impossible for 
him to even think of anything else other than a tree. 

In the writer's home city a few years ago, while 
he was coming down one of the business streets, 
a party of men were standing on the corner. Among 
these men were two lawyers, one a money-lender and 
one a congressman. As the writer came nearer to 
them the congressman made a wager with the money- 
lender ; he would bet a good cigar that he could not hold 
a conversation with the writer ten minutes without 
the writer making some remark referring to a tree. 
Some weeks after this it appeared in an evening Jour- 
nal that the money-lender had attracted the attention 
of the writer on other subjects of conversation to the 
extent of six minutes, thereby losing his wager in the 
period of time set by the congressman. 

This same ambition, determination and desire to 
acquire the best knowledge possible to be obtained 
concerning tree life and their requirements and de- 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 9 

mands upon the soil has been fully kept up by the 
writer to this day, and he still goes on searching for 
more and better knowledge than he has already ob- 
tained. His experiments have been very numerous 
and his results most wonderful. In several instances 
the writer has taken diseased trees that were even 
condemned to death by the leading authorities and pro- 
duced wonderful cures. 

I desire my readers to understand that my Creator 
has been my advisor and I have only been his agent or 
executor. Every reader will recall some time in life 
when he has had some fine visions and has failed to put 
them into use and has later in life seen the results of 
his visions being carried out by some other person. 
We all have made mistakes in ignoring many sweet 
dreams that have come to us during life, when if they 
had been properly tested, no doubt, would have brought 
surprising results. It is when a man is most deeply 
interested in his industry, that he probably becomes 
more or less weary over his results and conditions that 
these blessed dreams appear, and oft-times these 
dreams will remain with us for days and weeks and 
keep refreshing our memory and we continue to ignore 
and harden ourselves against such dreams as being 
unworthy of even a thought. I would simply suggest 
to the reader, that when he has a dream that concerns 
his line of industry or line of thought, that in any man- 
ner appeals to him the least bit possible, that he at 
once act in accordance with this dream and test results. 
The writer at one time in his early life had a dream; 
this dream said to him that grandfather did not cut 



10 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

his scions right; the dream suggested that the scions 
should be cut in diamond shape, as well as the incisions 
upon the seedling, thereby making a perfect fit of the 
scion to the incision; then by applying the pruner's 
wax and carefully inserting the scion a perfect union 
is met with between the scion and the stock or the 
seedling. Of course, this was in the days when we 
grafted entirely upon the collar or crown of the seed- 
ling and before the days of cellar grafting. This dia- 
mond cut graft and incision, when properly done, keeps 
any water from surrounding the scion, thereby pro- 
ducing an improper union, which followed down, pro- 
duces a black streak through the heart of the tree and 
in later years produces a weak constitution or chronic 
diseases. Many of our diseased trees are not alto- 
gether produced in the orchard or grove; that is to 
say, the cause of the disease, but in many instances the 
imperfect union and unskilled methods of propagation 
in the first nursery row. 



DISEASES OF TREES 



Diseases of trees are similar to diseases of man- 
kind. Many times a child while in infancy contracts 
an imperfection and the child lives and grows to man- 
hood or womanhood with this imperfection, and later 
in life develops diseases ; so it is with the tree. We all 
understand that the wild fruit, which nature created, 
is the true and only genuine method or system of pro- 
duction, but by education and enlightenment and ex- 
perimenting the human mind has developed an im- 
provement, or in other words a method in which we 
could improve upon the many varieties of wild fruit. 
By doing so we to some extent have to cross with na- 
ture to bring about the most desirable results, and the 
writer's experience has been that as little variation as 
possible from nature's own methods produces the best 
results. For illustration: I will carry some of you 
old readers back to your boyhood days when father's 
orchard perhaps reached the age of twenty or twenty- 
five years. Don't you remember it was more than a 
ten year old boy could do to make his fingers meet in 
reaching around the body of father's trees. Today 
there is scarcely a tree that stands in the orchard or 
the grove that has reached the age of twenty-five years 
but what a six year old boy can lay his fingers together 
around the body. Naturally the reader will ask the 
question: "Why should this be?" My answer is, that 
under our continued development of science we have 
beyond all question of contradiction decreased the vi- 



12 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

tality and weakened the constitution by our present 
methods of propagation to the extent that the tree 
today requires much more nursing and much more care 
than in the day of our grandfathers. It is also true 
that we have many more enemies and much more dis- 
ease of the tree than we had some sixty years ago. 
Now this cannot all be laid at the doorstep of climatic 
conditions for the simple reason this does not only 
apply to trees, plants, etc., but to agricultural products 
as well. 

When a young man the writer conceived the 
thought that the man who wrote the first book, that 
has been handed down from generation to generation, 
which is no doubt a wonderful book, if it be written 
by man, he surely is entitled to great credit beyond 
mention, but if he was a man who wrote this first book, 
I want to ask the one question. If there were no books 
for him to copy from, how did he obtain his knowledge? 
I answer the only possible way in which I could see 
that he gained such knowledge was by the study of 
nature itself. Could it be possible that all men of 
today are subject to error? The writer is ready and 
stands open to contradiction, that this great writer did 
make one error at least and that error is the most im- 
portant feature in the citrus industry. I don't think 
you can find where this great writer has ever spoken 
of that. In this creation, every single thing was 
created that was expected to live, exist and die, is 
created with a body. I firmly believe that the reader, 
when he stops to think for one moment, will agree with 
me on this point. Now, in the creation of this body, 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 13 

it might be termed the house in which the life of every 
living thing is housed. 



LIFE OF THE TREE 

The writer only asks you to refer to himself for 
the explanation ; my body represents my life, the body 
of my tree represents the life of that tree. You will 
also agree with me that the tree has two distinct agen- 
cies. The important agency I term as the receiving 
agency; where the main roots intersect the base of 
the tree. These base roots are scientifically termed 
the lateral roots, and support the hair-like feeders that 
search the soil for the different elements of goodness 
for the welfare of the tree. 

These base roots, according to the book of nature, 
should grow in proportion to the spread of the branch- 
es ; then they should dip downward and extend further 
into the center or midway of the rows. Now trees are 
like children ; when in infancy the tree can be trained 
to please the grower, or in other words, the nursery- 
man can grow the tree during the life of the nursery 
row to please his ideas. When planted in the grove, 
then it becomes the pleasure of the grower to train 
that tree according to his ideas. 

We can train the roots to follow along the sur- 
face if we so desire, or we can train them to dip deep 
into the earth if we so desire. This method of train- 
ing will be explained further on in this book where 
the writer speaks of cultivation and proper root 
training. 



14 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

We go back now to this receiving agency and we 
find that the nutritious matter gathered by the many 
feeders is being transported to the base of the tree 
through this base root and there comes in connection 
with the mechanical action of the tree, which forces 
its way through the many sap cells or channels of dis- 
tribution, passing through the body up to where the 
branches branch out. There it comes in contact with 
the distribution agencies, which send it further on 
through the branches to the twigs, through the twigs 
to the stem of the foliage, distributing its proportion 
of nutritious matter from the many channels or cells 
to all parts of the top of the tree. 

The writer, in his close study of the anatomy of 
the tree finds that each base limb and each branch 
leaving this base limb is spread through separate cells 
or channels of distribution of sap. Therefore one base 
limb may die from injury or some other cause and not 
affect the next limb or branch. The writer has gone 
into this particular study so carefully he has been able 
to know, or perhaps almost correctly if not quite, the 
number of sap cells passing through a three year old 
tree and through its distributing agencies, which took 
him months of careful study and with the strongest 
glass to be found, as these sap cells are very, very small 
channels. In some varieties of trees they are much 
larger than in other varieties where sap is heavier 
and trees grow larger. 

With the citrus tree the writer finds the sap so 
much heavier than that of the apple. I desire the 
reader to understand right here that the writer has 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 15 

only made his life study upon two varieties of trees, 
namely; the apple and the citrus, and as stated above 
the sap of the citrus tree, and especially the orange, is 
much heavier than that of the apple. To understand 
thoroughly the difference between the two varieties of 
trees, it is necessary to study the native home of both 
varieties. 

DIFFERENCE IN THE VARIETIES OF TREES 

In their wild nature I have found that the citrus 
tree originated in quite a different climate than 
that of the apple. Therefore, the citrus tree in its 
native climate does not become absolutely dormant at 
any period of the year, but continues to drop and take 
on new foliage at three different periods of the year, 
thus widely differing from the apple. The citrus 
tree has three ascensions and three descensions every 
twelve months, nature intended that at certain periods 
the citrus tree should rest to some extent while na- 
ture hardened its wood growth. This, the writer 
is satisfied, is not well understood by growers, and he 
is ready to assert that too much water and too many 
cultivations at this period does the tree an injustice, 
not allowing it to properly harden and mature its wood, 
therefore, forming an imperfect or a weak bud. This 
important subject will be dealt with in this book later. 

BODY OF THE TREE 

Getting back to the body of the tree. — Now the 
writer desires to impress upon the mind of every reader 



16 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

that the body of his tree represents all, and the care 
and treatment given this body determines most em- 
phatically your future success. The treatment of 
bodies in order to keep them in perfectly healthy condi- 
tion will be discussed later in this book. 

The one reason I speak so strongly concerning the 
body of the tree is for the fact that it represents the 
most vital points concerning tree life. To keep this 
body in good condition means that it is necessary to 
take a fine wire brush once during the season from 
March to June, and thoroughly brush from the tree 
every particle of rough scale or moss, cleansing the 
body thoroughly and apply some local application that 
would serve to keep the body from becoming sunburnt 
and keep the bark loose so that it might expand with 
the natural demands of growth. It is safe to say that 
the writer is the first man who found it absolutely 
necessary, in order to get the best results from his 
trees, to give the body the most attention. 

And next following the body, in order to obtain 
the best results, is by carefully looking after your 
root system, keeping the soil under the tree moist and 
giving it sufficient cultivation, which is best done by 
using a potato hook or a tool made upon that line. 
If the earth has been thrown up to the tree and has 
covered up the body too much, it should be removed 
and a basin made around the base of the tree, where 
light and air might penetrate the intersections of the 
base roots to the body of the tree. This will aid won- 
derfully in the curing of diseases. 

The soil should be cultivated at least once, and 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 17 

twice would be better, during the summer period. 
Lack of moisture under the trees is one of the greatest 
drawbacks; this applies especially to trees which are 
from twenty to thirty years old. With old trees the 
spread is very great and the irrigation ditch being so 
far away from the body of the tree, it would be profit- 
able to the grower if he would make a cross trench 
from his irrigation ditches to the trunk of the tree, 
and let the water run into the basin as described above. 
A small amount of water during June, July and August 
irrigations, as these months would consume moisture 
better than any other three months during the year. 

One of the bad features that the citrus tree must 
contend with in Southern California is the temperature 
of the water used from wells and running through 
pipes without sufficient amount of sunlight and air. 
To remove the cold temperature and the shocking 
nature of the cold water on the trees, I foresee 
the time coming when the foothill water will be of 
great value. 

When a foothill canal has been excavated, all the 
mountain water will be retained in this canal until it 
has abundance of air and sunlight before being used 
for irrigation purposes and by this means another 
great value will be added to the growers, retaining 
this surplus water and preventing it from overflowing, 
which has done so much damage by filling in new soil. 

I have visited groves where there has been more 
than a foot of soil filled in after the planting of the tree. 
In all of these instances, in a very few years, you be- 
gan to see your trees deteriorate and diseases develop, 



18 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

unless a basin is dug around the base of this tree at 
least two feet from the body of the tree, and unless 
the elements desired by the tree are placed in this 
basin, your feeders will soon die and smother out, 
leaving your tree in a choked condition of which the 
receiving agency soon becomes closed and further ex- 
pansion and growth is stopped. 

You must understand that, whatsoever comes in 
contact with the body of the tree that would form a 
tightening or exclude the air, will in due time cause 
the action of the sap to relax. I do not mean to say 
that your tree will not live for some time and produce 
some fruit, yet, as year after year rolls around, the 
death rate will be greater. 

It is so hard for the writer to impress upon the 
minds of the citrus growers some facts that are being 
practised year by year that do not bring noticeable 
results for so long a time. For illustration; a great 
many so-called tree doctors have made discoveries of 
different body treatments that have never been thor- 
oughly tested out. It requires several years to test out 
any treatment upon a tree thoroughly — perhaps the 
Bordeaux mixture has been more thoroughly tested 
than any other mixture. 

All of those who have tested the Bordeaux mixture 
for five years, I am satisfied, will not speak favorably 
of it, for the simple reason that anything that forms a 
paste would have a tendency, if completely covering the 
body, to exclude air and prevent proper expansion. 
It will take time to tell as to the injury done to trees 
by this mixture. 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 19 

Others have applied coal tar, time will tell of the 
injury caused by this treatment; some have used oils, 
it only takes time to tell the injury caused by this 
treatment: — a little horse sense would come in very 
handy when applying oil to a tree. Any of the growers 
who have ever had any experience in allowing hogs to 
run in an orchard, just notice where a hog rubs against 
a tree a few times. In one year's time you can notice 
a dead spot on the body of that tree where the hogs 
have rubbed, as the greasy substance from the hog 
closes the pores of the bark and cuts off circulation 
at once. 

To make a long story short, the writer wants to 
impress upon the reader this one indisputable fact — 
you cannot use anything, no matter what, successfully 
upon a tree that will not disolve in water. This point 
will save the grower, if he will only take heed, from 
injuring his trees. Take a sample of the general reme- 
dies and see if you can reduce them or if they will mix 
with water. If they will not mix with water, my ad- 
vice to you is, keep any remedy off your tree that will 
not. 

The writer has made a great many experiments 
upon the body of the tree with practically every chem- 
ical or drug that has been heard of, and, until he dis- 
covered the above fact he never was so successful 
with trees, and the only application of real value to 
your tree is one made from absolutely nutritious ele- 
ments, — something that would be porous and at the 
same time a non-conductor of heat, something of a 
penetrating nature that will keep the bark in a nice 



20 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

velvety condition so it may expand with the natural 
demand of growth. 

The writer will describe later in this book about 
his own discoveries and is thinking very seriously of 
enclosing inside of this book his wonderful formulas, 
on account of his age and afflictions which will soon 
render him unfit for active service. His remedies are 
well known from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 

TREATMENT OF THE TREE 

To treat trees properly and to the best of their 
interests, the writer will have to have the co-operation 
of the readers and determine all the surrounding con- 
ditions of his orchard or groves, and at the same time 
give the soil in this grove your particular attention. 
The most correct analysis can be taken by the owner 
himself, really better than any expert can do, as science 
has taught the reader to understand that certain ele- 
ments are necessary in the soil for the development of 
certain productions. 

It is the writer's opinion that nature has given us 
the best lesson possible to be obtained upon this im- 
portant subject of determining the elements in your 
soil. For illustration: if I wanted to determine how 
much nitrogen I had in my soil, I would certainly plant 
a few rows of potatoes ; if I grew rank vines, black and 
strong, this would indicate I had plenty of nitrogen 
available. If I wanted to test for potash, I would plant 
a few rows of navy beans; if they grew strong and 
vigorous, this would indicate that I had plenty of pot- 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 21 

ash. This same rule will apply to all elements as well 
as minerals. In order to determine the mineral ele- 
ments, plant a few rows of strawberries, and if you 
can produce sweet berries without acid being strong 
enough to take the skin off of your mouth, this would 
determine the question of minerals available. 

I desire to make plain right here that fruit, which 
has been commonly understood as being composed of 
nitrogen, phosphate and humus, is absolutely a mis- 
take; as the flavor, texture and development of all 
characteristics of fruit depends largely upon the min- 
eral substances in the soil. Without these mineral 
substances you cannot produce the fine flavor, the fine 
texture, and the high polish rind. 

This requires no argument other than a little bit 
of good horse sense and observation, as every reader 
will agree with me that the mountains that contain 
the numerous beds of minerals are ideal spots. If the 
conditions would permit to produce a high flavor, a fine 
texture and a high polished rind, these substances can 
be easily explained and administered by applications 
to the body of the tree and the results are surprising. 

The writer thinks at this point it would be well to 
quote some of our great writers as to their conceptions 
of nature. 

"We would be happier if we studied nature more in 
natural things; and acted according to nature, whose 
rules are few, plain, and reasonable. Let us begin where 
she begins, go her pace, and close always where she 
ends, and we cannot miss of being good naturalists." 
— William Penn. 



22 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

"Nature does not capriciously scatter her secrets 
as golden gifts to lazy pets and luxurious darlings, 
but imposes tasks when she presents opportunities, 
and uplifts him whom she would inform. The apple 
that she drops at the feet of Newton is but a coy in- 
vitation to follow her to the stars." — Whipple. 

I desire to also have my readers understand that 
this book will not be indexed or chaptered ; on the other 
hand, it will read straight from beginning to end, as 
it is a fact the readers can only get the value that the 
writer is to hand out by absolutely reading every word 
in this book. 



DISEASES OF THE TREE 

The writer realizes the most important factor in 
this book will be the subject of tree diseases, their 
causes and cures. In the first place trees are like indi- 
viduals, are just as sensitive and just as much subject 
to diseases. There is always a cause for the starting 
of a disease, this cause may be laid to many conditions, 
especially with a tree. 

Did you ever stop to think that a dozen men may 
contract the same identical disease, with the same con- 
ditions producing the disease. You will note that a 
number of these men will improve rapidly, while all 
being administered the same treatment, some are slow 
to recover and others perhaps may die from the effects. 

Now trees are the same, as I have said before. 
You may take a grove, perhaps a dozen or two trees 
are diseased. You apply certain applications or reme- 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 23 

dies and a certain percentage of these trees show re- 
covery, while others show no sign of recovery by the 
same treatment. Therefore, it is an indisputable fact 
that some trees can stand and throw off disease better 
than some others, some trees like men being more 
strongly constituted than others, and the weaker re- 
quire more careful nourishing and perhaps longer 
treatment. 

I desire to instill into the readers the one promin- 
ent fact that all men are not constituted alike, neither 
are all trees constituted alike of the same varieties, 
neither are all animals constituted alike of the same 
family ; therefore, it is necessary that we have patience 
to care for, nourish and treat the weaker ones of these 
families more carefully than we would have to do with 
the more rugged, even though they suffer from the 
same cause and the same disease. For illustration; 
the writer has taken trees that have been pronounced 
incurable, yet, at the same time they have responded 
to treatment and have quickly recovered, while others 
which were only considered in a bad condition have 
taken very much more time, pains and care to produce 
the same results as mentioned in the former. 

There can be many causes for citrus tree diseases ; 
the writer will not attempt to mention all causes and 
conditions, but a few of the most important. In the 
first place, as stated in this book, it has often been the 
case that the infant tree has contracted its disease in 
the nursery row and not even recognized by the nur- 
seryman or the planter, but as the years roll around 
the effects become more noticeable. 



24 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

One of the greatest causes for tree diseases is 
perhaps overlooked by more growers than any one 
thing, and that is soil conditions under the spread of 
the tree. For illustration ; you certainly have common 
sense enough to know that where soil lies dormant 
under any covering whatsoever, it becomes puttyfied, 
and I presume you will know that the soil contains 
fine rootlets close to the surface running pro and con 
in every direction, which keep the pores of the soil 
open. You take and put a covering over this condi- 
tion and these rootlets that keep the soil open soon 
become dormant and lifeless. 

When your soil reaches this stage the vegetable 
matter in the soil becomes crystalized ; this takes away 
the life action of the soil. When this point is reached, 
then your soil becomes infected with impurities, sour, 
moldy and greasy-like, without life. This condition 
existing around the tree is more serious, perhaps, than 
under some other conditions, as the tree itself, or 
rather the body of the tree, is like your own body ; it 
perspires, throws out a secretion. With soil in this 
condition this secretion acts in the manner as the se- 
cretion from a man's body thrown into his underwear, 
which would in due time produce a horrible odor; or 
if continued for a period of years will absolutely, and 
I defy contradiction, produce a disease such as would 
be fitting to the individual, animal or tree. 

Trees have their peculiar diseases, as well as men 
and all other families, and I am going to say right here 
something that I am satisfied many of my readers will 
disagree with me about, but at the same time I have 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 25 

absolutely demonstrated facts, and that is this: every 
living family, no matter what family it is, or in other 
words, every living subject, was created with certain 
germs imbedded in the house of life and upon certain 
conditions, produce either insect enemies or disease. 
Filth, impurities, poisons, together with climatic con- 
ditions favorable, will develop this germ or insect and 
deterioration is well on its way. 

I wish to impress upon the mind of the reader one 
more thing, "An ounce of preventive is worth a pound 
of cure," which has proven a fact in every instance 
from the planting of the tree down through its living 
history. The body of that tree should be, and must be 
in order to preserve health and strength, kept clean, 
and the soil must be kept moist where this tree ex- 
pects to gather its nutritious matter. If this method 
had been carried out from the infancy of trees, I would 
have to close the manufacturing of tree medicines 
upon short notice, as there would be no demand. On 
the other hand, we have neglected, and we are paying 
the penalty that nature has laid down, by not having 
the real true understanding of nature in regard to 
our trees. 

Practically all diseases of the tree are due to the 
conditions herein mentioned. While one may show in 
different form to the other, yet the same conditions, 
I wish you to understand practically cause all of it. 
For illustration ; we will mention two of the most des- 
tructive diseases among the citrus trees ; the gum dis- 
ease and the scaley bark disease. 

Your trees become deteriorated, which is notice- 



26 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

able in the foliage, your foliage is thin, the leaves are 
small and a thousand appear upon trees where there 
should be five hundred ; this is the first symptom of dis- 
ease. Now the first thing to do after this is apparent, 
is to take a handful of the soil surrounding the body of 
your tree, some four or six inches down, put it between 
your hands and rub it thoroughly. If you can not 
detect any odor by giving it a quick smell after rub- 
bing, then you might be safe in saying it is not soil 
condition. 

Then we can look up our climatic conditions and 
see what they have been. Very often this last is the 
starting point of disease, the writer ventures to say 
that unless remedies are applied to prevent, citrus 
trees will become affected in larger numbers in the 
next few years than have ever been seen in Southern 
California, due to the climatic conditions of 1917. 

You will remember that the early part of 1917 
was cold, much fog and cloudy weather; immediately 
upon the change from this condition there followed an 
intense heat. Following this intense heat we dropped 
into one of the longest droughts, perhaps, that South- 
ern California has seen for many years. During this 
extreme drought, I am safe in saying, there was 
more disease created among the human family than 
during any season of my knowledge in California for 
the past twelve years. There were more people com- 
plaining of feeling bad, stupid, with coughs and hay 
fever conditions. For about four months we lived en- 
tirely upon the electricity in the air without oxygen — 
the foliage lost its color and became a pale yellow. 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 27 

Now, this condition worked a hardship upon the 
body and also the branches of the citrus trees, and 
especially with trees that were densely thick and with- 
out air chambers from the north and east so as to let 
the air come in contact with the body of the tree. Or 
in other words, the two o'clock sun produces an intense 
heat in a closed tree from the south and west, which 
would produce sunburn of the branches and check the 
flow of sap and finally reach its way down to the body 
of the tree and will eventually cause scaley bark in 
the near future on many trees. 

This condition is what led the writer to the dis- 
covery of his wonderful tree tonic. It is absolutely 
necessary to make some applications upon the body of 
your trees at least once a year that will keep the bark 
in a nice soft velvety condition where it can expand 
with a natural demand for growth. This also keeps 
the bark, and sap cells open where the mechanical ac- 
tion of the tree may be strengthened so that the nutri- 
tious matter gathered from the soil can be properly 
distributed to all points of the tree. 

The writer doesn't ask you to purchase his reme- 
dies, he just simply gives you the facts that are neces- 
sary to apply some solutions of some kind or changes, 
especially in Southern California where the distribution 
of rain fall is so wide apart. 

The body needs moisture and needs a coating of 
something that will retain and hold moisture during 
this dry period. You probably can find some solution 
that would apply and at the same time be a benefit to 
some extent your tree, but you must understand and 



28 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

realize to do this you must apply something that will 
penetrate and is composed of nutritious matter, which 
adds wonderfully to the development of your fruit, as 
well as keeping the body in a good condition. 

It is safe for the writer to say that he has made 
the only discovery so far known in the United States, 
that is absolutely composed of mineral and nutritious 
elements especially benefitting to both tree and fruit. 
The writer realizes that for the protection and benefit 
of the citrus grower some necessary legislation is 
needed in the form of careful investigation and examin- 
ation of every man who pretends ,or offers to suggest, 
or apply remedies to trees and accepting money from 
the grower without giving proper value in return. I 
see no other plan better than to have every man who 
pretends to treat trees and writes the public upon tree 
treatments to pass a rigid examination before a well 
qualified board of growers, showing his or her ability 
to properly understand the so-called diseases. Or to 
put it stronger, he or she must understand and be able 
to convince this board that his method or system is 
absolutely logical and practical. If this condition is 
met, there will be less diseased trees and fewer tree 
doctors. 

The writer has experimented upon trees both 
healthy and diseased, with almost every possible 
drug and mineral substance known. He has tested out 
thoroughly the results to be obtained from the many 
experiments, and after all this, found very few drugs 
that can be applied to the tree satisfactorily. Many 
drugs will cause a stimulus for a time, but like whiskey, 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 29 

when it disappears in a man's stomach, he is worse off 
than if he had not taken it. 

What the grower wants is something that has a 
lasting effect and this can only be obtained by abso- 
lutely using the nutritious matter as mineral substance 
especially adapted and beneficial to the tree. There 
can be no substance used upon a tree satisfactorily 
that will not mix with water, many things will start 
and cause a reaction fo a short period, but when that 
effect has passed away, then your tree deteriorates 
faster than before you put it on. 

After reading this book carefully, if you find you 
have a diseased tree , I am of the opinion that direct 
correspondence with me after you have answered my 
questions pertaining to the surroundings, soil condi- 
tions, and other conditions, I will be more abli to give 
you better value. It may be understood here now that 
every purchaser of this book will be entitled to private 
correspondence with the writer by the enclosing of re- 
turn postage, no further expense. 

The writer desires to remind the reader once more 
before leaving this subject that the body represents the 
life and must be kept clean and the bark in a soft con- 
dition so as to expand. We will now talk a little while 
on the subject of cultivation. 

CULTIVATION 

The writer thinks there is more improper culti- 
vation than there is profitable cultivation. Improper 
cultivation means to continuously cultivate the center 



30 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

of your rows without paying any attention to the soil 
close up and around the trunk of your tree. 

The writer makes the statement here that two 
thorough cultivations under and around the trunk of 
the tree is of more value than five cultivations in the 
middle of the row. The reason for this lies in the 
fact that proper cultivation under the spread of the 
tree continues to keep new life in the soil. 

The soil needs to gather moisture and retain the 
same. Not only this, but when the soil is lively and 
in a sweet condition, new feeders will form near the 
trunk of the tree. If nothing under the tree can be 
found to feed upon, then the roots must gather their 
food from beyond the spread of the tree. This makes 
a long transportation to connect with the body of the 
tree, and where the base roots lose their feeders on 
account of no substance or moisture, this base root 
then becomes dry and many times cracks open or scales. 
This condition, when the sap from the nutritious mat- 
ter comes from the middle of the row, reaches this 
affected part of the base root, causes much of the food 
value to be lost, and a certain percentage does not 
reach the base of the tree. For this reason it is very 
important to keep the soil in a condition so that these 
base roots will be properly taken care of, by keeping 
the tree from drooping entirely to the ground, and 
leaving an air space that the air may circulate under 
the tree and around the body. This, you will find, will 
be of great value to the tree. 

There could be many things said about cultivation ; 
I will mention a few of the improper things. First; 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 31 

it is improper to cultivate a grove heavily in the month 
of August — this has a tendency to prevent the matur- 
ity of your first season's growth. Second, it would 
have a tendency to throw the organic matter out of 
the soil into the air. A dust mulsh would be proper; 
that is, to cultivate with a steel tooth harrow, followed 
by a light float — this especially applies to a light soil. 

No man can make a set of rules that would apply 
to cultivation, for the fact that it would be misleading 
to many ; others would prosper by it. Different classi- 
fications of soil require different methods of cultivation. 
Heavy soil cannot be handled in the same manner as 
light soil. This is a matter in which the grower must 
be his own judge. He should study the conditions of 
his soil, and know better how to cultivate it than any 
other man could tell him. 

We will leave the subject of cultivation at this 
time and take up the matter of pruning. 

PRUNING 

Pruning is an important feature to fruit growing. 
Butchery is detrimental to fruit growing. This is a 
matter in which no rule can be laid down, and but little 
advice can be rendered, as each tree is a separate indi- 
vidual. No two trees require exactly the same method 
of pruning. Again, trees grown on heavy land require 
more severe pruning than those grown on light soils. 
About all I care to say at this time in regard to pruning 
is to explain the three fundamental principles which 
should be carried out in all pruning. 



32 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

When the tree is about to come into bearing, prin- 
ciple number one is: to symmetrically shape and 
form your tree for its future. Take into consideration 
your climatic conditions, especially as to heat. Always 
leave your heavy branches on the south and west to 
protect your tree against the twelve to two o'clock 
sun. There can be no definite advice in this matter, 
for, as I stated above, each tree represents itself, and 
it is a question of good judgment. The man with the 
best judgment shapes his tree best for future con- 
ditions. 

Principle number two: is to remove all surplus 
or unnatural wood, water sprouts, etc. This is another 
question of good judgment to determine what is fruit 
wood growth, and what vacancies and holes in your 
tree should be filled. 

Principle number three : is to carefully prune your 
tree so that you may have small air chambers passing 
through from the north and east side of your tree. 
This I consider one of the most valuable points, espec- 
ially where there is as much sunshine as is found in 
Southern California. These air chambers are great 
preventatives against moss, scaley bark, gum disease, 
and bark bound conditions. When plenty of air cir- 
culates around the tree with the southwest closed, 
where the strong heat penetrates, the air coming from 
the north and east keeps a much better temperature 
in your tree. 

The writer will be only too glad to answer any 
and all questions regarding pruning, after he has ob- 
tained the full particulars and conditions surrounding 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 33 

the groves upon which the advice is desired. It might 
be well to say here that the writer has supervised the 
pruning of more than one million trees, and as high 
as fifty thousand in one season. 

The time for pruning is of the greatest impor- 
tance. This is a question that the writer has long 
experimented upon, and has long been convinced that 
an amputation upon man, beast or tree will heal and 
perfect itself more quickly, with less shock to the tree 
in the months in which vegetation and everything is 
in its highest state of condition. No months should a 
man feel better, speaking in this altitude and latitude, 
than the months of May and June. Therefore, I con- 
sider from April to July first the proper period for 
pruning. Those who have followed my method can 
speak for themselves. So far as I know, it has proven 
best. 

Now getting back to the most vital, the most im- 
portant, and the one thing which cannot be neglected 
without bad results following — that is, to keep the body 
of your tree in such condition that the bark may ex- 
pand by the natural demand of wood growth. The 
writer for many, many years gave the body of the tree 
his entire attention, which lead him to the wonderful 
discovery which the growers throughout the country 
are now being excited over. That is his wonderful tree 
tonic and root extract. 

APPLICATION OF TREE TONIC 

This tonic is applied upon the body of the tree, 
after making a basin around the trunk of the tree down 



34 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

to the base roots commencing with the base and apply 
a good heavy coat from the base roots to where the 
branches leave the body of the tree — this being termed 
the distributing agency. Apply plenty of this in the 
forks and upon the limbs at least one foot to fourteen 
or sixteen inches. This is the only discovery offered 
to citrus growers that will meet the conditions of the 
citrus tree and absolutely cure all diseases of the tree. 

The reason it cures all diseases is as follows; the 
first application commences the loosening of the bark. 
The second, two weeks later, continues the loosening 
of the bark and begins to enlarge the sap cells. The 
third application, thirty days later, completes the work 
of the second, and starts a reaction of sap. The fourth 
application, sixty days later, stimulates the heart ac- 
tion or mechanical action, gives forth a new sap of a 
healthy nature and sends it to the ends of the twigs 
and into the foliage. Then you will notice that your 
foliage spreads in width and grows thicker and darker. 

A heavy foliage denotes health, but trees that 
have thousands and thousands of leaves that are small 
and pointed are in a deteriorating condition. One 
fourth that amount of leaves that are heavy in width, 
starchy and black can feed your fruit, as fruit depends 
largely for its development upon the nutritious matter 
fed through the foliage, especially so far as nitrogen 
is concerned. 

The writer today has under his charge something 
more than twenty-five thousand citrus trees of all ages 
and conditions. This, perhaps, makes more of an ex- 
perimental station than would be obtained otherwise, 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 35 

as these trees are located in different communities, 
with different classifications of soils and different sur- 
roundings, which give the writer a far better chance 
to study all conditions. 

ROOT EXTRACT 

I will just mention a few facts concerning my Root 
Extract and what it is. It is a liquid which is made 
from minerals and nutritious matters, together with 
such matter as would have a tendency to purify and 
sweeten and reinstate soil conditions. 

The writer will now send in a few sharp shooters, 
and if you are not a "mutt" you will grasp them. 

SHARP SHOOTERS 

Shot No. 1 — Prune, don't butcher. Capacity is 
what is needed. Make your body grow in proportion 
to the spread of your top. Messick's Tree Tonic does 
this. 

Shot No. 2 — When you see your trees begin to 
deteriorate, don't stand on the outside and look at it. 
Go inside ; examine your bark. 

Shot No. 3 — The cultivation under the tree means 
much. Do it or leave it. The removing of suckers is 
essential at the proper time, June to October. If you 
don't know what fruit wood is, ask some one. 

Shot No. 4 — If the south and west sides of your 
tree are exposed to the hot sun, that is to say, the body, 
place a protector there at once. This will probably 
save your tree. 

Shot No. 5 — If you don't want the inside of your 



36 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

tree to burn, let light and air in from the north and 
east sides. 

Shot No. 6 — When your foliage gets thick and 
small, pointed and soft, this indicates lack of circula- 
tion. Messick's Tree Tonic applied to the body will 
save your tree. 

Shot No. 7 — Be careful about the first irrigation 
in the spring. Make your furrows farther apart, away 
from the tree than you would later in the season, for 
the reason that cold water, if too close to the tree, gives 
a set-back at this time. As the weather gets warmer 
make your ditches closer to the tree. 

Shot No. 8 — An ounce of preventive is worth a 
pound of cure. Keep your trees in a healthy condition 
with perfect flow of sap and no disease need enter your 
grove. Messick's Tree Tonic does this. Two applica- 
tions a year produce more sugar, more juice, twenty 
per cent more weight and a thin rind. If you want 
this, say so. 

Shot No. 9 — The writer is going to enclose in this 
book some valuable formulas, not to be had elsewhere, 
and only to be used by the purchaser of this book. 
The purchaser must take his oath that he will use these 
formulas upon his own grove and no other, nor will he 
divulge any part of these formulas to any manufac- 
turer of fertilizers, or any other person or persons than 
his immediate family. It has taken the writer many 
years to compound a fertilizer especially adapted to 
citrus trees. This the grower makes upon his own 
premises, buying his own raw material. 

Shot No. 10 — If you have a head full of scientific 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 37 

theories, don't be a block head and let these theories 
prevent you from using your best judgment and com- 
mon horse sense, the latter is what it takes to be a 
successful citrus grower. 

Shot No. 11 — Did you ever stop to think that life 
is represented in the same manner and form with a 
tree as with everything else that exists, lives and dies, 
and the body is the house that contains the machine ? 
If you don't believe this, you make a mistake, and you 
are the loser. Keep your house well preserved and 
your machinery working fine. 

Shot No. 12 — The above are eleven commandments. 
If you respect them, you will honor the writer. 

FERTILIZATION 

A word in regard to fertilization; — the writer is 
the first man in the United States to produce a tree 
fertilizer. This fertilizer was especially compounded 
for the production of apples. Later he compounded a 
similar fertilizer for citrus trees, but has never placed 
it on the market. 

It is a fact that citrus trees require a much 
stronger fertilizer than is required for apples, as the 
citrus trees have three distinct periods of growth and 
continued foliage. The difference between the apple 
tree and the citrus tree is as follows: the citrus has 
three descensions and three ascensions every twelve 
months, therefore the citrus practically feeds all of 
the twelve months, while the apple only feeds six 
months, lying dormant the other six months. 

I am sorry to say that with all of the scientific 



38 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

experiments that have been made in later years, they 
have not discovered the real genuine fertilizer that 
fills the requirements, needs and demands of a citrus 
tree and its fruits. Humus is the prime factor. Fol- 
lowing humus, minerals are largely needed, some phos- 
phate and some nitrogen is also necessary. 

The writer stands ready to say that the formula 
which he will enclose with this book, will be of more 
value to the citrus growers of California than any 
thing they have ever had handed down to them ; for if 
they buy their own raw materials in the crude state, 
manufacture it on their own premises, they certainly 
lessen the cost of fertilization. The compounding of 
this formula can be done by any common, ordinary, 
sensible man, woman, or child ; as the larger part of it 
means only work. 

Any man who uses this formula three years and 
does not say he has received more value than from any 
other method he has ever tested, he may quickly re- 
turn the formula to the writer, and the refund of his 
money will follow by return mail. The writer knows 
whereof he speaks, and this book is only composed of 
absolutely demonstrated facts. The writer does not 
consider it wise to use a whole lot of surplus and un- 
necessary language in this book. We must deal with 
the matter in a careful manner and with as few words 
as possible. 

Fertilizers contain only one element; for instance, 
blood contains one element, bone another, tankage 
another, nitrate of soda another, — the writer com- 
pounded the whole in one, together with the humus 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 39 

producing the sweetening of the soil and the minerals 
that are absolutely necessary for the development of 
the fruit. Too much blood will create damage to the 
tree; so with nitrate of soda or any of the hydrates 
if used in too large quantities and all by itself. 

It has been my experience that the soil much pre- 
fers the combination of all the necessary elements in 
one and it can more quickly relish and digest same. 
It is seldom you hear this when questions are raised, 
"How is your soil for minerals ?" Have you ever had 
any one ask you if salt was necessary in your soil? 
Did you ever ask any one? Salt is a mineral and pro- 
duces moisture wherever it is and retains moisture. 
Is it necessary or not? 

I would like to call your attention to the moun- 
tain district. Have you ever noticed that the best 
flavor, the best developed fruit that is produced is in 
the groves that lie nearest the mountains ? This does 
not apply to citrus groves alone, but to all classes of 
fruit, and proves conclusively that the mineral sub- 
stances which the disintegration of the mountain sup- 
plies, are an important factor in the production of 
the finer flavored fruits. The fruit farther away from 
the mountains contains less of this element. 

The writer desires the reader to understand that 
he is not writing this book simply for money. On the 
other hand, he is absolutely sure that this is the only 
way in which he can possibly give the grower the value 
of his life work and not confuse the grower upon any 
other subject than the one in which he is interested. 
This is like the boy's speller at school, or his reader— 



40 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

you must read and re-read until you thoroughly com- 
mit it in order to get the value from this book. Allow- 
no one to cause you to deviate from the methods 
handed down to you in these pages until you have 
absolutely made a two years test. 

The question of how to fertilize is of the greatest 
importance. One time in the writer's life he was 
called to the platform in a state horticultural assem- 
bly where one of the greatest fruit growers in the 
United States had just retired from the platform, 
who had been assigned the subject "The Best Methods 
of Fertilization." This great authority stated that 
he used commercial fertilizer in his grove and that 
he used a drill and drilled the fertilizer, going up and 
then down in the center of each row. 

When the writer was called to the platform he 
spoke on the same subject. He took exception to 
this great man's methods and by illustration showed 
the growers, to their entire satisfaction, that this 
man was absolutely wrong. 

This illustration was used: "The former speaker's 
method puts me in mind of placing my horse in one 
corner of the barn and tying him there, and placing 
his feed box in the opposite corner and put his feed 
in it regularly at feeding time until his box would 
get full and run over. But it would take that horse 
a long time before he could stretch that rope long 
enough to reach that food. Now, Mr. Grower, you 
know as well as I do that the roots must extend out 
to this point and your fertilizer must become part of 
the soil before your feeders can accept it. When this 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 41 

condition is ready for the feeders, then it is a long 
transportation from there to the receiving agency of 
your tree. 

"Now, isn't this rather unwise, unskillful, and 
not the best method to be obtained, from the fact 
that nature has declared so emphatically that the tree 
top must spread in proportion to the spread of the 
roots, and when they have reached the outer circle 
of the tree, nature says they must go downward and 
not straight outward. The sun would have a tendency 
to affect them. On the other hand, they must go down 
and search the soil for moisture and for mineral sub- 
stances, and the roots closer to the surface must gather 
the humus, nitrogen and phosphate near the surface. 

"If your grove is saturated with fine rootlets 
throughout the center of the rows, I want to say 
frankly to you these roots are not feeders for your 
tree, but are soil robbers. You should tear these up 
by plowing deep in the center of your rows at least 
every two years, one year one way, and the next year 
the other, not going closer than eight feet from your 
tree, then plow shallow up to the circle of your tree. 

SYMPTOMS OF TREE DISEASES 

Symptom No. 1. To notice deterioration, the first 
symptom will show in a large amount of foliage be- 
coming very small, sharp-pointed and soft. This 
symptom indicates that the lungs of the tree are 
closed ; that the tree is receiving no nitrogen from the 
air; immediate steps should be taken to cause a re- 
action of the sap. 



42 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

Symptom No. 2. Examine your soil close up to the 
body of the tree. Take a handful of soil six inches 
deep close to the body of the tree and place in a glass 
of water. Let stand thirty-six hours, then pour the 
water off and smell the soil. If it smells sour, musty 
and moldy this would indicate sour sap has been raised. 

Symptom No. 3. To determine gum disease, put 
your hand on the body of the tree; feel if the bark 
has become tightened ; notice closely if any checks or 
pockets in the bark are noticeable. Let your hand 
remain on the body of the tree until the heat has 
gone out of your hand ; if the body sends a cold sensa- 
tion, this would indicate that your tree is not in bad 
condition. If there is no coolness, but the bark feels 
luke warm and lifeless, this would indicate that the 
outer, or bark, cell saps are not working. This same 
symptom applies to scaley bark. Another symptom 
that follows this is the light color that the foliage 
takes on, with frequent yellow leaves showing up. 

Symptoms of health: First; a real cold sensa- 
tion to the hand from the body. Second; a smooth 
skin or bark on both body and branches. Third; 
wide or broad, black, stiff, starchy foliage. Fourth; 
when leaf will bend and when put together will crack 
like a ripe watermelon, this denotes health and indi- 
cates that the foliage is drawing its share of nitrogen 
from the air; also denotes that the heart or inner 
sap is in good condition and able to throw off all im- 
purities and stand a strong attack from the enemy. 

Notify the physician as to any of the above con- 
ditions and free communication will at once begin. 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 43 



Pradical Study of Nature 



The writer wishes to speak a few words as to 
the study of nature, as we all know that the book of 
nature is a large one and no one man can ever be able 
to fully understand. But there are certain points 
along this beautiful study in which men may become 
more skilled than others. This can only be done by 
the singling out of one subject. The study of the 
orange and lemon would be quite different to that of 
deciduous fruits, small fruits or walnuts. Therefore, 
the writer for the last few years has confined him- 
self strictly to the study of citrus trees. 

I presume every reader will realize this one fact, 
that a man who studied nature and made demonstra- 
tions would be called a practical man, or a crank by 
the college experts. Therefore, it makes a hard fight 
for a practical man to get recognition without a col- 
lege diploma. The writer does not wish to speak 
harshly of the scientific heroes, but will ask a few 
questions of the grower and let him answer them 
himself. 

First: What have the scientific bureaus done for 
the fruit growers? Now be fair in this matter in 
compiling your answer. 

Second: Have the scientific bureaus eradicated 
any diseases that attack your trees? 

Third: Have the scientific bureaus eradicated or 



44 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

exterminated a single pest or insect that preys upon 
your fruit or trees ? 

Fourth: If you know of any discovery of any 
particular value that has been rendered to you by the 
scientific bureaus or university, won't you be kind 
enough to send the Doctor a letter stating what value 
has been obtained from the scientific bureaus, as the 
Doctor wishes to put himself right in the matter. He 
already knows of some good things they have done, 
and he does not wish to be unfair. 

What we need is more careful diagnosis of each 
particular grove and a record book in which the grower 
may keep a careful record of all conditions and also 
all results of all treatments. This will quickly deter- 
mine what the proper treatment of trees means. 

But keep this in mind, Mr. Grower, the body of 
the tree is the life ; in fact it represents the entire tree. 
Keep this body in good condition. So far nothing has 
been discovered better than Doctor Messick's Tree 
Tonic. 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 45 



Dr. Messick's Work Commended 



We will add to this a few compliments upon the 
Doctor's work through life, together with a piece of 
poetry written by Mr. Atwood, editor of the "Practical 
Fruit Growers," Springfield Mo., as follows : 

Introduction of H. L. Messick by G. A. Atwood, 
Editor of the "Practical Fruit Growers," at Spring- 
field, Mo., before the Green County Horticultural So- 
ciety meeting: 

"The founder of organizations, which for the 
producer have stood; the friend of the tree in 
affliction; he knows all its sap cells and wood. 
The man of the million tree record; those trees 
now wave in the sky and bearing their fruit in 
abundance, they prove to the passer-by, that he 
in vain has not labored in studying out their need. 
When soil is impoverished and lacking, he knows 
how their hunger to feed." 

THE MILLION TREE MAN 
Is he a national hero and why. 

Oh, who is the National hero, 

Not he who lives to destroy, 
Not they with their guns or warships 

Devastating the earth of its joy. 

But he who gives aid to dame Nature 
And helps her to blossom and bear, 

Rich fruits for her unborn children 

And makes patient earth more fair. 



46 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

The tall waving trees and blossoms 
More graciously wave in the sky, 

To praise their friend and co-worker 
To all of the passers-by. 

All hail to the Burbanks and Messicks, 
Producers of beauty and work; 

Are friends and the benefactors 
Of all of the children of earth. 

Oh, turn ye the guns into plow shares, 
And pruning hooks too; and you can, 

And make of destroyers, producers, 
All hail to the million tree man. 

Through long years of toiling and pruning, 
With eyes lifted up toward the sun ; 

His sight at last was the price he paid 
E'er he nature's secrets had won. 

This man with the million tree record, 
This wizard and friend of the trees 

Will kindly now address you, 
So listen attentively, please. 

He launched many organizations, 

That long have flourished and grown ; 

He labored to prosper the many 

Without thought of gain for his own. 



C. H. Williamson, of Quincy, Illinois, the man of 
the thousand acres, said: 

"Doctor Messick is a wizard." Later Mr. Wil- 
liamson, at the Mississippi Apple Growers Association, 
of which Mr. Messick is the founder, said : 

"I have known Mr. Messick for a long time and 
know of his numerous and wonderful demonstrations. 
I consider Mr. Messick is an exception among men, so 
far as knowledge of trees is concerned." 



FIRST NATIONAL BANK 

OF LORDSBURG, CAL. 

E. R. YUNDT, President H. J. VANIMAN, Vice-Pres. 

L. A. BLICKENSTAFF, Cashier 

Monday, March 4th, 1918. 
Mr. H. L. Messick, 
Pomona, Cal. 
Dear Sir: 

I wish to congratulate and express to you my 
thanks for having been induced to try your celebrated 
Tree Tonic and Root Extract. I think it has been 
quite beneficial to trees affected with gum disease, 
and tends to build up the tree in general, (well or sick) . 
I must say you are a wizard in your line. 

Personally am very sorry that you do not have 
eye sight that you might see the beautiful rich green 
color of the orange tree, and especially beautiful when 
treated with your preparations. 

Yours very truly, 
(Signed) H. J. VANIMAN, 

Vice-President. 



Office of CHARLES C. CHAPMAN 

Fullerton, California. 
February 19th, 1918. 
Dr. Webber, 
Riverside, California 

My Dear Doctor Webber:— 

I take pleasure in introducing my friend, Mr. 
H. L. Messick of Pomona. 

Mr. Messick has given life-long study to the 
care of apple and orange trees, and I feel sure he has 
some information that would be valuable to the grow- 
ers in general. Anyway, he would be glad to meet 
you and have a little talk with you about the interests 
of the citrus industry here in Southern California. 
Sincerely yours, 
CHARLES C. CHAPMAN. 



48 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 



RECORD OF CROPS 



In conclusion of this book, the writer has decided 
to place a blank map of a ten acre grove, numbering 
each tree, so that the grower may place in his memo- 
randum on the blank sheet the condition of each tree. 
This will prove to be of great value in keeping con- 
stantly in touch with the deteriorated tree in the 
grove. Wherever a tree shows signs of deterioration, 
immediate steps should be taken for its relief. By 
having a record of each tree, it would be easy to locate 
every diseased tree in said grove. 

Another blank sheet will be placed for the pur- 
pose of keeping the record of the number of boxes, 
the number of pounds, and the number of pounds of 
culls, the quality test and the price obtained gross; 
also the net price after deducting all costs of pro- 
duction. 

To keep this record accurately for a period of 
five years will determine the profits and losses and will 
put you in a condition to exactly understand your 
grove. There will also be a place on this record 
where damage by frost or freezing may be kept. This 
will determine the cost of protection or the loss with- 
out protection, either by smudge or other means. 

In conclusion, the writer will appreciate very 
much a letter from every reader of this book after he 
has carefully read and carefully weighed every sub- 
ject, as to the fact whether he considers he has been 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 49 

benefitted by this book or not. The writer has taken 
great pains to set up nothing in this book that is not 
a demonstrated fact; therefore the great enjoyment 
and pleasure that the writer would receive from the 
knowledge that his book has been appreciated, would 
be of untold value to him in his blind condition. 

Therefore, the writer wishes the reader much 
profit and blessing from the lines herein. The re- 
sults, I will leave to you. Careful obedience of the 
rules in this book will bring them forth. 



FORMULAS 

The writer has decided to give with each book, 
three formulas, as follows: No. 44 is a dry humus 
and mineral fertilizer; No. 55 is a root extract; No. 
66 is a pruning paint. 

As these formulas have no equal so far discovered, 
and go in harmony with Messick's celebrated Tree 
Tonic, they are very valuable indeed. This Tonic has 
been used on more than 25,000 citrus trees. On ac- 
count of the blind condition of the author, and his poor 
health, he is unable to manufacture the three formu- 
las mentioned above. 

This is the greatest value ever handed down to 
citrus growers; these formulas and the book of in- 
formation, all for $1.00. These formulas will not be 
printed in the book, but will be delivered upon receipt 
of the signed application on the last page of this book. 

The purchaser of the book will kindly read his 
book, fill out the blank and address same to Dr. H. L. 
Messick, Pomona, Calif. 



50 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 



CONCLUSION 



As these are the concluding pages of the book, the 
writer desires to say to the grower that so far, he 
has never solicited any business, as he is firmly of 
the belief that a good physician does not have to go 
on the street and ask people to send for him. The 
physician who can demonstrate a fact soon builds up 
a practice without much advertising. The man who 
has to force people to buy his product, in my obser- 
vation through life, the buyer many times buys against 
his own will and better judgment, and is never ready 
to give even best reports for the fact that he had 
no faith to start with. 

I desire to say right here, that if you have no faith 
in my treatment, after investigation of demonstrations, 
or if your better judgment does not tell you, after 
reading this book, that it is purely common sense and 
thoroughly practical, then I prefer that you do not 
let loose of your money for my medicine until you 
have satisfied your own mind that you will be repaid 
many times by the use of my treatments. 

The sole object of my treatment is to put the 
body of the tree in condition to produce healthy circu- 
lation ; healthy blood with free distribution covers the 
entire question of success in fruit growing. In other 
words, to keep the constitution of the tree in such a 
healthy state that it can resist the most severe attack 
by any enemy. As I have said before, use your own 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 51 

best common sense, together with your best judg- 
ment, allow no man to overpower them by argument, 
and you will not be buncoed as much in the future as 
you have been in the past. 

It is my desire now to advance the first step 
toward bringing the grower closer in touch with the 
medical aid he can lend his trees, and I desire every 
reader of this book to at once write me if the following 
organization appeals to him. I will herein lay plans 
for your future benefits, although I may not, as I am 
growing in years, be able to see the great results to 
be obtained from the following organization. 
Organization as follows: 
Be it resolved that I, a citrus grower, do 
heartily endorse an organization, to be known as 
a medical board for trees. I further believe that 
any man desiring to advise the grower upon prac- 
tical methods or system of treatment should be 
able to pass a rigid examination before this med- 
ical board, showing himself qualified in every de- 
tail to administer valuable information gained by 
practical demonstration. He must also know the 
correct anatomy and diagnosis of a tree. This 
board will select one man in the various localities 
to cooperate with the growers and advise them 
as to medical treatment. There will be one gen- 
eral advisor, whom all local advisors will report to 
quarterly. There will be a meeting held quarterly 
by this board where examinations will be made. 
There will also be an annual meeting held where 
all the members of this medical organization will 



52 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

meet and rehearse results obtained during the 
year. Every member of this board will be en- 
titled to a vote for the officers for the ensuing 
year. This board will seek at the hands of our 
Legislative bodies such legislation as will be bene- 
ficial to the medical treatment of trees. 

If you are in favor of the above organization, 
(which is merely an outline) please write to Dr. Mes- 
sick at once signifying your willingness to take mem- 
bership in such an organization. 

Address all communications to Dr. H. L. Messick, 
151 So. Thomas St., Pomona, Calif. 




CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 53 

RECORD OF CROPS FOR YEAR 1919 

On grove located and described as follows: 



Number of trees in grove 
Number of acres in grove, . 



Gross Production. 

Picked boxes. 

Weight pounds. 

Grade, Extra Choice, pounds. 

Grade, Choice pounds. 

Grade, Culls, pounds. 

Price per pound. 

Total $ 

Cost of Production. 

Fertilizer used $ 

Tree medicine used on body of trees, $ 

Pruning $ 

Cultivation $ 

Water $ 

Labor $ 

Picking, hauling, packing & shipping, $ 

Total $ 

Net Proceeds derived from grove No Total $. 



54 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

RECORD OF CROPS FOR YEAR 1920 

On grove located and described as follows: 



Number of trees in grove 

Number of acres in grove 

Gross Production. 

Picked boxes. 

Weight pounds. 

Grade, Extra Choice, pounds. 

Grade, Choice pounds. 

Grade, Culls pounds. 

Price, per pound. 

Total $ 

Cost of Production. 

Fertilizer used $ 

Tree medicine used on body of trees, $ 

Pruning $ 

Cultivation $ 

Water $ 

Labor $ 

Picking, hauling, packing & shipping, $ 

Total $ 

Net Proceeds derived from grove No Total $ . 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 55 

RECORD OF CROPS FOR YEAR 1921 



On grove located and described as follows: 



Number of trees in grove 
Number of acres in grove 



Gross Production- 
Picked boxes. 

Weight pounds. 

Grade, Extra Choice, pounds. 

Grade, Choice pounds. 

Grade, Culls, pounds. 

Price, per pound. 

Total $ 

Cost of Production. 

Fertilizer used $ 

Tree medicine used on body of trees, $ 

Pruning $ 

Cultivation $ 

Water $ 

Labor $ 

Picking, hauling, packing & shipping, $ 

Total $ 

Net Proceeds derived from grove No Total $ . 



56 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

RECORD OF CROPS FOR YEAR 1922 

On grove located and described as follows: 



Number of trees in grove 

Number of acres in grove 

Gross Production. 

Picked boxes. 

Weight pounds. 

Grade, Extra Choice, pounds. 

Grade, Choice pounds. 

Grade, Culls, pounds. 

Price, per pound. 

Total $ 

Cost of Production. 

Fertilizer used $ 

Tree medicine used on body of trees, $ 

Pruning $ 

Cultivation ? 

Water $ 

Labor $ 

Picking, hauling, packing & shipping, $ 

Total $ 

Net Proceeds derived from grove No Total $ . 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 57 

RECORD OF CROPS FOR YEAR 1923 

On grove located and described as follows: 



Number of trees in grove 

Number of acres in grove , 

Gross Production. 

Picked boxes. 

Weight pounds. 

Grade, Extra Choice, pounds. 

Grade, Choice pounds. 

Grade, Culls, pounds. 

Price, per pound. 

Total $ 

Cost of Production. 

Fertilizer used $ 

Tree medicine used on body of trees, $ 

Pruning $ 

Cultivation $ 

Water $ 

Labor $ 

Picking, hauling, packing & shipping, $ 

Total $ 

Net Proceeds derived from grove No Total $ . 



58 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

REPORT ON THE CONDITION OF GROVE 
FOR YEAR 1919 

Careful inspection of all trees made January 1st. 
Another inspection on June 1st. 
Third inspection on September 1st. 

I find June 1st trees No 

in condition as described 



September inspection, I find trees No 

Improved 

Condition not improved 

Applied Messick's Tree Tonic, (Date) 

Second Application, (Date) 

Third Application, (Date) 

Fourth Application, (Date) , 

Applied Formula No. 44 (Date) 

Noticeable results 90 days later 

Notified Dr. H. L. Messick, Pomona, as to conditions. 
Remarks at end of year 



If you will carefully keep this record and watch the symp- 
toms of the trees as carefully as you watch the symptoms of 
your children, and upon the first symptoms of disease seek 
advice, you will receive great benefit. You will find on a sepa- 
rate page symptoms of disease and deterioration. 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 59 

REPORT ON THE CONDITION OF GROVE 
FOR YEAR 1920 

Careful inspection of all trees made January 1st. 
Another inspection on June 1st. 
Third inspection on September 1st. 

I find June 1st trees No 

in condition as described 



September inspection, I find trees No 

Improved 

Condition not improved 

Applied Messick's Tree Tonic, (Date) 

Second Application, (Date) 

Third Application, (Date) 

Fourth Application, (Date) 

Applied Formula No. 44 (Date) 

Noticeable results 90 days later 

Notified Dr. H. L. Messick, Pomona, as to conditions. 
Remarks at end of year 



If you will carefully keep this record and watch the symp- 
toms of the trees as carefully as you watch the symptoms of 
your children, and upon the first symptoms of disease seek 
advice, you will receive great benefit. You will find on a sepa- 
rate page symptoms of disease and deterioration. 



60 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

REPORT ON THE CONDITION OF GROVE 
FOR YEAR 1921 

Careful inspection of all trees made January 1st. 
Another inspection on June 1st. 
Third inspection on September 1st. 

I find June 1st trees No 

in condition as described 

September inspection, I find trees No 

Improved 

Condition not improved 

Applied Messick's Tree Tonic, (Date) 

Second Application, (Date) 

Third Application, (Date) 

Fourth Application, (Date) 

Applied Formula No. 44 (Date) 

Noticeable results 90 days later 

Notified Dr. H. L. Messick, Pomona, as to conditions. 
Remarks at end of year 



If you will carefully keep this record and watch the symp- 
toms of the trees as carefully as you watch the symptoms of 
your children, and upon the first symptoms of disease seek 
advice, you will receive great benefit. You will find on a sepa- 
rate page symptoms of disease and deterioration. 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 61 

REPORT ON THE CONDITION OF GROVE 
FOR YEAR 1922 

Careful inspection of all trees made January 1st. 
Another inspection on June 1st. 
Third inspection on September 1st. 

I find June 1st trees No 

in condition as described 



September inspection, I find trees No 

Improved 

Condition not improved 

Applied Messick's Tree Tonic, (Date) 

Second Application, (Date) 

Third Application, (Date) 

Fourth Application, (Date) 

Applied Formula No. 44 (Date) 

Noticeable results 90 days later 

Notified Dr. H. L. Messick, Pomona, as to conditions 

Remarks at end of year 



If you will carefully keep this record and watch the symp- 
toms of the trees as carefully as you watch the symptoms of 
your children, and upon the first symptoms of disease seek 
advice, you will receive great benefit. You will find on a sepa- 
rate page symptoms of disease and deterioration. 



62 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 

REPORT ON THE CONDITION OF GROVE 
FOR YEAR 1923 

) 
Careful inspection of all trees made January 1st. 
Another inspection on June 1st. 
Third inspection on September 1st. 

I find June 1st trees No 

in condition as described 



September inspection, I find trees No 

Improved 

Condition not improved 

Applied Messick's Tree Tonic, (Date) 

Second Application, (Date) , 

Third Application, (Date) , 

Fourth Application, (Date) 

Applied Formula No. 44 (Date) 

Noticeable results 90 days later 

Notified Dr. H. L. Messick, Pomona, as to conditions. 

Remarks at end of year 



If you will carefully keep this record and watch the symp- 
toms of the trees as carefully as you watch the symptoms of 
your children, and upon the first symptoms of disease seek 
advice, you will receive great benefit. You will find on a sepa- 
rate page symptoms of disease and deterioration. 



CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 63 



ORDER BLANK 

Messick's Tree Tonic, Formula No. 77. 

Dr. H. L. Messick, 
Pomona, Calif. 

Please ship me via (freight or 

express) gallons with which I desire to test 

my grove of trees. (Mention var- 
iety of trees.) 

You will find enclosed with this order 

Dollars. 

I hereby agree to follow carefully the copyrighted 
directions. 

Price per gallon — less than bbl. lots, $2.00 per gal. 

Price per gallon in bbl. lots, $1.50 per gallon. 

Name of station 

Name of P. 

County State of 

(Signature) 

Nothing less than 5 gallon lots. 



64 CITRUS TREES AND THEIR DISEASES 



APPLICATION FOR FORMULAS 

I 

Post Office County of 

State of 

do say that I have read your book entitled "Citrus 
Trees and their Diseases," and ask that you forward 
me formulas as described in book, and agree to use 
these formulas upon my grove only. I further agree 
that I will not divulge, manufacture, or offer for sale 
any of the products made from these formulas, under 
the penalty of the copyright act. 

After reading your book, I feel as though the 
contents possess much value. (Please give below any 
comment you wish to make.) 

Remarks : 



To the Purchaser of this Book 

I 
Will you not carefully read this book, 

and if satisfied of its value, kindly do a 

favor to a blind man by not loaning it. 

However you will greatly oblige him by 

telling your friends that it's well worth the 

money. Ask them to send one dollar to 

Dr. H. L. Messick, 151 S. Thomas Street, 

Pomona, Cal. and receive a copy postpaid. 



T&4 






